Photo of the Day: Best of June 2012

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Rainstorm, Chile

Photograph by Camila Massu

My sister in the south of Chile. We were sitting at home next to the fireplace in our southern lake house when it suddenly began to pour uncontrollably. Had to rush into the lake to take this snapshot!

Village, Faroe Islands

Photograph by Ken Bower

The village of Gásadalur with the island of Mykines in the background. Until a tunnel was built in 2004, the 16 residents living in Gásadalur had to take a strenuous hike or horseback ride over the steep 1,300-foot (400-meter) mountain in order to make it to the other villages. It was a rare sunny day in the Faroe Islands and I had to wait until the clouds rolled in to provide some softer light. I decided to go with a long exposure (1 minute and 10 seconds) to illustrate the force of the wind and a serene sea among the isolated islands.

Falling Petals, Japan

Photograph by Hisao Mogi

I sat down on a stump for a rest after a stroll in Nara Park and watched the deer. They were eating fallen cherry blossom petals peacefully. Suddenly a strong wind blew and cherry blossom petals started to fall on the deer. It was like a shower of cherry blossom petals. In Japanese, it is called hana fubuki, which means flower snowstorm.

Matterhorn at Night

Girl and Baobabs, Madagascar

Photograph by Ken Thorne

Near the city of Morondava on the west coast of Madagascar lies an ancient forest of baobab trees. Unique to Madagascar, the endemic species is sacred to the Malagasy people, and rightly so. Walking amongst these giants is like nothing else on this planet. Some of the trees here are over a thousand years old. It is a spiritual place, almost magical.

Svartifoss, Iceland

Photograph by Giacomo Ciangottini

Svartifoss (Black Fall) is surrounded by the dark lava columns that gave rise to its name. The hexagonal columns were formed inside a lava flow that cooled extremely slowly, giving rise to crystallization. Skaftafell National Park, Iceland.